Echoes
by Silverfeather613
Summary: Fives continued to stare. Then he was aware that he was standing alone in the shadows. He backed away from the smoking helmet, shaking his head softly. This isn't true. He told himself, This can't be true. He'll be back, he'll come back. But his head told him otherwise. He's dead. Dead! You will never see him again. He's gone. Forever. Faded, like an echo. And it hurt.


Fives stopped firing, and watched as Echo picked up the fallen plasma shield, and crouched behind it. Echo moved quickly towards the shuttle, and one of the turrets swiveled to fire at him. The shots were getting closer and closer to his brother. Echo rolled, ducking a green laser, and backed up the gangplank of the ship.

Fives knew it was going to happen before it did. He felt a sickish feeling in his chest, and then a rush of adrenaline.

"ECHO! NO!" he screamed, wishing he could make his frozen body move, run to Echo, and pull him to safety. But he couldn't, and he stayed firmly rooted to the spot, his heart pounding. It happened in slow motion; it took an eternity. Everything seemed hazy and superfocused all at once.

The turret moved in on it target, the soldier behind the shield, the brave trooper who seemed far too young to die, and Fives' brother.

The commando droid fired, the green lasers speeding through the air. Fives' mind screamed, but his lips didn't move, and he was silent.

The lasers hit the shuttle, and the night was lit up by the glowing explosion.

Fives' mind exploded with it. He felt as if his heart had been ripped out. His lungs were burning; he couldn't breathe. He realized what shock meant. It was this icy wave, a hard cold wall, reality in it's truest form, slamming him in the chest.

He knew pain.

Not pain like a broken arm, pain of having a hole punched into his soul. He knew in that moment sorrow, and grief, and suffering. And he died a thousand deaths inside himself, but yet painfully stayed alive, standing facing the explosion that killed his friend, his _ori'vod,_ his brother. And he wanted to tear himself apart.

But the world is cold and cruel, and it raged on, regardless of the death of the young trooper, and the anguish of his brother.

They were clones. No one would care.

Lasers whizzed by, but he no longer cared. The world had died with Echo.

The explosion died down, and Echo's empty helmet rolled to a stop at Five's feet. He stared, horrified, at it. How many times had he seen his brother's grinning face disappear under it?

"We've got to get out of here!" yelled Obi-wan, deflecting laser bolts. They began to run for cover, keeping low.

Fives continued to stare. Then he was aware that he was standing alone in the shadows. He backed away from the smoking helmet, shaking his head softly.

 _This isn't true._ He told himself, _This can't be true. He'll be back, he'll come back._

But his head told him otherwise.

 _He's dead. Dead! You will never see him again. He's gone. Forever. Faded, like an echo._

And it hurt.

He turned and ran, catching up with his troops. He walked in the back, struggling with the ache in his chest. He let out a small sob. Kix glanced back at him. Fives took a deep breath. He regained his composure, and walked on with the rest.

 _Dead. Gone._

When Fives got onto the cruiser, he stumbled blindly off. The world was blurry, and the ache in his chest was worsening. Instead of going with the rest of the troopers to the dorms, or to the hospital, Fives left the hangar. He could barely walk straight, and he resisted the urge to tear out of there like a droidika was after him. He could feel his captain watching him with worry. Last thing he wanted right now was to be made to go to the hospital. Right now, all he wanted was some place quiet and dark, where he would never be found, and he could curl up and die.

Once he was out of the hangar, he met deserted halls, except for a sweeper droid. Fives gave into the urge, and ran. He sped down the corridors, bumping into walls, and sliding on the smooth floors, attempting to outrun his emotions. He ran, and slid into an almost completely empty storage closet. He pounded his fists against the wall, his head hanging, panting. The pain was becoming overwhelming, but there was nothing he could fix it with.

Grief washed over him, drowning him. Then suddenly, it turned to rage. It burned Fives. His mind became a blank wave of red, and he let out a cry of fury. _Why?! Why?! It wasn't fair! It wasn't in any way fair!_ He pounded the wall, slamming his fist against it, kicking it, attacking it until he felt a sharp pain in his fist. He screamed a curse.

The rage slipped away from him as quickly as it had come, and he leaned his back against the wall, and slid to the floor. He pulled his knees to his chest. He wished the pain of his broken fist was worse; it distracted him. But the pain was only sharp for a little while, and the it subsided to a dull ache.

Echo's face filled Fives' mind, and he let out a sob. He would do anything for one more day, just one more.

Fives felt tears running down his face. He hadn't cried since he had broken his arm in training when he was 8. He buried his face in his arms, and sobbed. He let himself cry. He didn't care. The entire world was meaningless. Why was he still even alive? Why was he here, and not Echo?

His body shook, and he bit his lip. He tasted his own blood.

He had lost what wouldn't return.

Fives pulled his knees closer to his chest. He looked upwards, and let the tears drip off his face.

He had loved, but he never learned.

And know he would hold this pain, feeling the hole in his heart where Echo should've been.

The fire was out, but still it burned.

Fives squeezed his eyes shut, but the image of the bright fiery explosion filled his mind.

And no one cares. There's no one there.

He was lost with out his brother. And he would never get him back.

And Fives found it hard to breath.

The pain in side him was choking him, squeezing the life out of him.

He cried so much he could barely see.

And each tear was painful. If tears left scars, he would be unrecognizable.

And Fives was in the darkness all alone, no one cared.

Fives heard the door open, and the crack of light widened. He saw the white boots of a trooper step in.

"Fives," said the trooper. Fives followed the legs up to a face. It was Rex. Fives wiped a tear away with his good hand.

Rex sat down next to him. He studied Fives' face.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Fives choked back a sob. _No!_ He wanted to scream. _No, I'm not okay! I'm never going to be okay again! Echo's gone!_ But he didn't say that.

"Yeah. I'm fine." he said, struggling to keep his voice steady. Rex fixed him with a look.

"Don't lie to me, Fives." he said. "Tell me the truth." Rex paused, and stared down at Fives' hand. "What's wrong with your hand?"

"Broke it on the wall," said Fives shakily. Rex looked down at it again, and then into Five's face.

"Fives," he said softly, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. He was my brother too."

"Don't be!" snapped Fives. "There was nothing you could do!"

"I could've ordered him to stop." said Rex, leaning his head against the wall.

"You know he wouldn't listen." snarled Fives. "So don't tell me you're sorry. It does nothing. It won't bring him back. He's… gone." Fives' voice broke. Rex gently pulled him to his feet.

"I know, Fives. But you have to keep living." he said.

"Why?! What reason is there?! It's not even worth it! Not without…" His tears spilled over again, and he stood in front of his captain, limp and sobbing. Rex pulled him into a hug. Fives sobbed into his armored shoulder.

"We love you, Fives" said Rex, stroking his back. " _Ni gar vod, ni kar'taylir darasuum gar."_


End file.
